Cigarette lighting means



Nov. 5, 1963 w. B. PALEY 3,109,435

CIGARETTE LIGHTING MEANS Filed July 26, 1961 IIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR h//Nsrcw Ruf Y ATTORNEYS United States Patent @ttig-35 CIQTETTE 'Wl-.TENG- llldiltlii Winston l. llaley, New York, NSY., a signor to Eric M. .lavits, New York, lei. Filed July 26, 1961, Ser. No. 126,995 7 Claims. (Si. 131-7) The present invention relates to lighting of cigarettes. More particularly, it relates to a novel device for lighting cigarettes `and the combination of the device and the cigarette.

Heretotore, various proposals have been made to provide in association with cigarettes, lighting means more convenient to use than the conventional match or inechanical cigarette lighter, `and the present invention is directed to providing an alternative to these conventional lighting means.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with a lighting .means employing the principle disclosed in Peterson Patent 2,029,186, issued January 28, 1936. Thus, for lighting the cigarette one element of `a two element lighting device is disposed in the end of the cigarette to be lit and the other element is secured to the pack or otherwise disposed for contacting with the iirst mentioned element when the cigarette is to be lit. The iirst element can consist essentially oi an oxidizing `agent and the second element can consist essentially of `a reducing agent, these agents being such that they react on contact to provide heat for lighting the cigarette. ln said Peterson patent the oxidizing agent is potassium permangan-ate `and the reducing agent is glycerol and the oxidizing agent is mounted on the cigarette. Such materials and such an arrangement can he used in the present invention.

The principal objects of the invention include the providing of a cigarette lighting means of the oxidizing agentreducing agent type which is more convenient to use; can be used for cigarettes packaged in either la crush-prooi box (carboard box) or a soit pack (paper container), or can be used or provided ywith cigarettes contained in a cigarette box diilercnt from the container in which the cigarettes are contained for sale in commerce; can be provided in associ A.ion with individual cigarettes as `distinct Yfrom in ass ciation with the cigarettes and the container in which 'the cigarettes are kept; `and which can be constructed and varranged so that the chemicals are less susceptible to deterioration during storage `and are clean to hai in that they do not migrate so as to soil the person of the user or the container or the cigarette paper.

The invention is described in reference to the accompanying drawing which shows preferred embodiments of the invention. ln the drawing,

iilG. l is a view et' a cigarette provided with a device for use in lighting the cigarette according to the invention, parts being shown in cross-section.

FG. 2 is a view showing the device for use in lighting a cigarette, removed from the cigarette, turned around from the postion no-wn in l and having the cigarette partially inserted therein.

FlG. 3 is a View taken on line 3--3 in FlG. 2; and

HG. 4 shows a modified forni of a device for use in lighting a cigarette according to the invention.

In the various views, like reference characters refer to corresponding parts.

The invention provides the combination of a cigarette 5 and a device 6 for use in lighting the cigarette. The device comprises a tube 7 open `at both its ends and having a partition wall S intermediate its ends. ln the ready position, lwhich is shown in FlG. l, an end portion 9 of the cigarette 5 is slidably received in end portion ll oi the tube 7. A first lighting aid l2 is disposed iwithin the tube and across the partition wall S from the cigarette, and second lighting aid i3 is disposed within the tube land on .hide/ Mice the cigarette side of the partition wall, `and means are provided so that the second lighting `aid is mounted on the end ot the cigarette received in the tube upon slidably removing the tube from the cigarette. The first land second lighting aids are reactive chemically upon contacting to provide heat for lighting the cigarette, and `further the tube portion lli contmning the first lighting :aid l2 is of diameter sulicient to coaxially receive a cigarette end to permit contacting of the cigarette end and the lirst lighting aid. Thus, a cigarette provided with la device 6 in the ready position, as is shown in lllG. l, can be lit by sliding the device 6 oit the cigarette, turning the device around to present it to the cigarette as is shown in FIG. 2, and then inserting the cigarette end 9 having the second lighting iai-d i3 mounted thereon into the tube portion 14 containing the iirst lighting aid l2, to contact the lighting aids and thereby eilecting the lighting reaction.

Tube end portion il. which receives the cigarette when in the ready position shown in l-ilG. 1 is preferably in close tilting relation with the cigarette end portion 9 so that if cigarettes with devices 6 in the ready position are contained in a package, the cigarettes can be removed from the pack without dislodging the lighting devices 6. On the other hand, the end portion lll of the device is preferably of such diameter that when the cigarette is inserted into this end portion of the tube it fits therein in loose fitting relation. See FlG. 2. This iacilitates easy entrance `and exit of the cigarette from tube end portion 14.

The tube end portion ll can Ibe of about 5/1`G diameter `and of course should not engage the cigarette end portion so tightly as to malte manual removal diiiicult. The tube end portion ilican be about 11/32.

The first lighting aid can be `an absorbent material having absorbed therein a normally liquid lmaterial -for the lighting reaction. T he absorbent material can be a liber batting, such `as cotton and the normally liquid material can be glycerol. The absorbent material is preferably spaced from the inside walls of the turbe end portion lll. This `will preclude the absorbent material from contacting the cigarette paper when the cigarette end 9 is inserted in the tube `for contact-ing the lighting aids 13 land l2, and hence wetting oi the paper will be prevented.

Further, it is desirable that an annular ring lo oi cornnraterial be disposed about the lirat lighting 'aid 2, the annular ring serving to fill the space between the rst lighting aid Il?. and the walls oi tube po ion lli. revision of the annular ring 16 is to assure that the cigarette paper does not contact the liquid material ot the iirst lighting aid l2, and to reduce the amount of liquid taken yup by the second lighting aid 13 during the lighting step. Advantageously, the annular ring le extends axially beyond th-e first lighting aid l2 so that the cigarette periphery will engage the annular ring lo just before the lighting aids are contacted. The annular ring can be of compressible material, such as fiber batting, so that it will yield to slight pressure when the cigarette is forced against it. The Width :of the annular ring il@ can be about 364".

The absorbent material of first lighting aid l2 and the annular ring are advantageously each of fiber batting such as cotton, and the liber batting of each of these elements is discontinuous as to their libers, ie., fibers of the one are not entangled with fibers of the other. T his construc- -tion can be obtained by making the two elements separately and thereafter assembling them. Surprisingly, he liquid, for example, glycerol or a polyhydric alcohol, does not migrate from `the first lighting aid l2 to the annular ring la, when these elements are made discontinuous as described.

The nube 7 can be formed of plastic or cardboard and should be suioiently rigid to withstand pressure from the fingers. The partition wall 8 serves t separate the lighting `aids 12 and 13 and can be secured in the tube 7 in any suitable way. The partition can be about 3/32 thick and can be of aluminum foil or of cardboard coated to render it impermeable to liquids. It should not be inflammable so that should the cigarette be held with the lighting aids in contact for ltoo long a time, the device 6 will not burn. Preferably, the lighting aid 113 is of d-isc form having convex surfaces 17 and 18 and the partition wall 8 is dished to provide concave surface 19 for receiving the convex surface 17 of the lighting aid 13 in close hating relation, as is shown in FIG. 1. This `will seal the lighting aid 13 from the air and thereby aid in the prevention of deterioration of the lighting aid 13.

The lighting aid 13 can be a potassium permanganate capsule consisting essentially of potassium permanganate enclosed in a porous paper covering retained in place in the end 9 of the cigarette by inturned edge portions 21 of the cigarette paper. he capsule is suitably isolated from the tobacco 22 of the cigarette to prevent undesirable interaction between tobacco ingredients and the potassium permanganate.

The first lighting a-id 12 is recessed in the tube end portion 14 about 1/4 inch so that it is'not exposed to contact yby the fingers, and can be secured in place by glue or other suitable means. It can be about 1/16 in axial length. The annular ring ,-16 can be similarly secured in place. A heat resistant film such as aluminum foil 23, lines the inner wall of the tube end portion 14 and this serves to prevent damage to the device 6 due to the lighting heat. Further, it serves to prevent seepage of th liquid absorbed by the first lighting aid 12. f

The amount of liquid absorbed on the absorbent material of rst lighting aid 1-2, can be an amount suitable for lighting about three cigarettes.

In using the device of the invention, upon insertion of the cigarette into the device to effect contacting of the lighting aids, the lighting aids should be held in contact for just a brief moment to permit some liquid to pass to the capsule 13. The cigarette is then withdrawn and the reaction which provides the lighting heat is allowed to occur after the withdrawal.

An alternative embodiment of the lighting device is shown in FIG. 4. Here, the device 214 is a cup containing elements corresponding to 4the elements contained in end portion 14 of the device 6 of FIG. 1. The device of FIG. 4 is not to be mounted on the cigarette prior to use, but is used in a manner in `which the device of FlG. 1 is used, when it is desired :to light the cigarette. While the glycerol capacity of this embodiment can be the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. l, it also can be greater. For example, it can have a glycerol capacity such that it can be used to light twenty or more cigarettes. One device would then be sufficient for lighting all the cigarettes of a pack of cigarettes, the cigarettes of which are provided with a lighting aid as is the cigarette shown in FIG, l. The device of FIG. 4 could then be dispensed along with the pack of cigarettes, either attached to the package or separate from the package.

With respect to construction of the second ligh-ting aid 13 and the mounting thereof in the cigarette, reference is made to copending application Serial No. 123,333 filed May 23, 1961, of the applicant herein and Paul E. Spoerri.

While various specific embodiments of the invention have been described, it is intended to secure by these Letters Patent all embodiments as are within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A -device for use in lighting a cigarette, said device comprising a tube open at both its ends and having a partition wall intermediate its ends, each end portion being adapted to axially movably receive the end of the cigarette, one end of said tube having disposed therein a first lighting aid for contacting a second lighting aid mounted on `the cigarette when the cigarette is inserted into the tube end portion containing the first lighting aid, the first lighting aid being an absorbent having absorbed therein a normally liquid material for the lighting reaction, said absorbent material being spaced from the tube walls to preclude the absorbent material from contacting the cigarette paper when the cigarette end is inserted in the tube for contacting the lighting aids.

2. A device according to claim l, wherein an annular ring of compressible material is disposed about said absorbent material having the normally liquid lighting aid absorbed therein, and filling the space between the absorbent material and the walls of the tube.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the absorbent material and the compressible material are each fiber batting and are discontinuous as to their fibers, and the first lighting aid is a polyhydric alcohol.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the first lighting aid is glycerol and the absorbent and compressible material are cotton.

5. A device for use in lighting a cigarette, said device comprising a tube open at both its ends and having a partition wall intermediate its ends, each end portion being adapted to axially movably receive the end of a cigarette, one end portion having disposed therein a first lighting aid for contacting a second lighting aid mounted on the cigarette when the cigarette is inserted into the tube end portion containing the first lighting aid, the other end portion being adapted to receive in close fitting relationship a cigarette end portion having the second lighting aid mounted thereon whereby to reduce deterioration of the second lighting aid the walls of the end portion of the tube containing the first lighting aid disposed to be exposed to the heat of the lighting reaction are heat resistant.

6. A device for use in lighting a cigarette, said device comprising a tube having a closed end and an open end and being adapted to axially movably receive the end of a cigarette inserted into the tube through its open end, a first lighting aid disposed within the tube for contacting a second lighting aid mounted on the cigarette when the cigarette is inserted into the tube, the first lighting aid is an absorbent having absorbed therein a normally liquid material for the lighting reaction, said absorbent material being spaced from the tube walls to preclude the absorbent material from contacting the cigarette paper when the cigarette end is inserted in the tube for contacting the lighting aids.

7. The combination of claim 1, the other end portion being adapted to receive in close fitting relationship a cigarette end portion having the second lighting aid mounted thereon, whereby to reduce deterioration of the second lighting aid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l 2,029,1864- Peterson Jan. 2s, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,599 Great Britain Feb. 23, 1895 

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN LIGHTING A CIGARETTE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBE OPEN AT BOTH ITS ENDS AND HAVING A PARTITION WALL INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, EACH END PORTION BEING ADAPTED TO AXIALLY MOVABLY RECEIVE THE END OF THE CIGARETTE, ONE END OF SAID TUBE HAVING DISPOSED THEREIN A FIRST LIGHTING AID FOR CONTACTING A SECOND LIGHTING AID MOUNTED ON THE CIGARETTE WHEN THE CIGARETTE IS INSERTED INTO THE TUBE END PORTION CONTAINING THE FIRST LIGHTING AID, THE FIRST LIGHTING AID BEING AN ABSORBENT HAVING ABSORBED THEREIN A NORMALLY LIQUID MATERIAL FOR THE LIGHTING REACTION, SAID ABSORBENT MATERIAL BEING SAPCED FROM THE TUBE WALLS TO PRECLUDE THE ABSORBENT MATERIAL FROM CONTACTING THE CIGARETTE PAPER WHEN THE CIGARETTE END IS INSERTED IN THE TUBE FOR CONTACTING THE LIGHTING AIDS. 